Description
Hearty bean and bacon soup delivers comfort in a bowl, blending smoky bacon with creamy white beans. Warm, nourishing spoonfuls bring memories of home-cooked goodness you’ll savor with each satisfying bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound great white northern beans
- 8 ounces bacon
- 6 cups chicken broth
Vegetables:
- 1 cup onion
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup carrot
- 3 cloves garlic
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Crisp bacon in a skillet until golden, transfer to paper towels, and reserve 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan.
- Sauté onions, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat until softened, approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Incorporate garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with half a cup of broth, scraping browned bits from the bottom using a wooden spoon.
- Pour remaining broth, add beans, thyme, and bay leaf, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1.5-2 hours until beans reach desired tenderness.
- Remove bay leaves and turn off heat. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted.
- Fold in crispy bacon and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Slow cooker alternative: Complete steps 1-4, transfer to slow cooker, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Quick version: Substitute dry beans with 3 cans of white beans, rinsed and drained, simmering briefly.
- Customize with optional variations: swap thyme for rosemary, use asiago or pecorino instead of parmesan, add nutritional yeast, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, paprika, cream, white miso paste, or partially puree beans for a creamier texture.
Notes
- Toast bacon until it’s golden and crispy to enhance the deep, smoky flavor profile of the soup.
- Drain excess bacon grease carefully, leaving just enough to sauté vegetables and build rich flavor foundations.
- Deglaze the pan thoroughly to capture all the delicious browned bits, which create incredible depth and complexity in the soup.
- Try bean variations like cannellini, navy, or Great Northern beans for different textures and subtle taste variations.
- Consider using low-sodium broth to control salt levels and allow more precise seasoning during cooking.
- Puree a portion of beans for a luxuriously creamy consistency without adding heavy cream.
- Add nutritional yeast for a dairy-free, protein-rich alternative that provides a subtle cheesy undertone.
- Incorporate paprika or miso paste for unexpected umami notes that elevate the soup’s overall taste experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg